


Drive

by redhoodedwolf



Series: Sterek Week '16 [5]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Season 4 Ending, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Fluff, M/M, Sterek Week 2016, SterekDivergent, Stiles is ready to get better, car metaphors, with a little help from Derek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-28
Updated: 2016-10-28
Packaged: 2018-08-23 04:18:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8313742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redhoodedwolf/pseuds/redhoodedwolf
Summary: Derek appeared from behind the third car, his Toyota, now fully dressed thanks to some borrowed clothes. He looked…alive. And that’s an honest assessment. There’s a spring in his measured steps, a relaxation in his face. His eyes looked clear, no furrow to his brow. Content, he looked content.Stiles was jealous.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Sterek Week day five! Teen Wolf 5th Anniversary Celebration! Canon divergent from any of the 5 seasons. I decided to change up the end of season four a bit.

            There were three cars parked next to Stiles’ jeep, all of them practically military-grade. Stiles stood with Scott, Malia, Liam, and Kira watching Chris Argent pile weapons into the back of one of the vans. Braeden did the same to a second, unlatching several well-hidden weapons from her belt. Parrish was standing by, silently watching.

            Stiles licked his lips. They were chapped. The hot sun and the dry Mexico heat wasn’t doing him any favors.

            Derek appeared from behind the third car, his Toyota, now fully dressed thanks to some borrowed clothes. He looked…alive. And that’s an honest assessment. There’s a spring in his measured steps, a relaxation in his face. His eyes looked clear, no furrow to his brow. Content, he looked content.

            Stiles was jealous.

            The vans looked like mansions compared to the hovel of a Jeep that Stiles drove. Stiles thought about the washed outside, the leather interior, and the upgraded system in the Toyota. He compared it to the hunk of trash he drove. As much as he loved Roscoe, he had to be realistic. The fact that it was half duct tape at this point was only part of the problem.

            Trying to keep that thing alive, taping the holes, patching up leaks…but it was all hopeless, wasn’t it? Stiles stared in envy at Derek and his put-together car. What was the use in putting all but his life into fixing up that car, when there was a perfectly fine working one right in front of him that came with a hand to help him up into it?

            Derek nodded to Scott, a small smile on his lips, and turned to leave.

            “Wait!”

            Everyone froze, not expecting Stiles’ outburst.

            Stiles was panting, having worked this up in his brain so much he felt he’d just run a marathon.

            Stiles dug his hand into his pocket and retrieved his keys. He dropped them into a stunned Scott’s hands, and the teen fumbled to grab them before they hit the ground.

            “Drop the jeep off at my dad’s, will you?” Stiles asked, eyes not straying from Derek. Derek stared back at him, brow raised in confusion, lips tilted in slight amusement.

            “What?”

            Derek blinked, breaking the spell, and Stiles turned to look at Scott; at Malia, and Kira, and Liam. “Take my jeep back,” he said, voice slow and measured.

            Chris began to move again, gesturing for Parrish to join him. Braeden slid into the driver’s seat of her car, uncaring of the plight of the group of teenagers. Derek stayed still and quiet, his car keys jingling softly as they dangled from one hooked finger.

            Stiles glanced over his group of friends, and he smiled. He took a deep breath, let his shoulders drop and relax, and he smiled. “Keep Beacon Hills safe while I’m gone.”

            “Where are you going?” Liam blurted.

            Stiles shrugged. “Wherever the driver goes.”

            Derek snorted from behind him. “That job will be shared, thank you very much.”

            Stiles smirked, but felt like all the weight had fallen off of him. With that one snarky comment, Derek had agreed to let Stiles tag along with him. Wherever that was.

            “What about school? Stiles, what about your dad?” Scott asked, a hint of anger in his voice.

            “I’ll call him and explain,” Stiles promised. “You guys should start driving now, or you won’t get back before morning.”

            Malia was surprisingly silent. Maybe she understood better than he thought she would.

            Kira was quiet as well, though her concern was spoken through the gaze she cast upon him, lips pursed.

            “Drive safe,” he told them, and turned his back to them, walking over to Derek.

            Stiles was sure they were more than confused as to why he wasn’t going back home, but he hoped one day they would understand.

            Derek had his arms crossed, smiling fully now.

            Stiles walked right up to him, their toes almost touching, and shoved his hands into his pockets. “So? You got room for a second passenger?” he asked, tipping back and forth, rolling his weight from his toes to his heels and then back again.

            “I think I could squeeze you in,” Derek murmured, trying to suppress his smile. “But you should call your dad before we get to far, we’ve got a long few days of driving ahead of us.”

            Ignoring the shouts of his name behind them that were drowned out by the other two cars starting up their engines and beginning to drive off, Stiles shooting Parrish a salute as he drove past, Stiles threw himself into the passenger seat of the Toyota. Derek slid into the car next to him and made a show of locking the doors, which made Stiles chuckle.

            “Abandoning your jeep. You sure you’re okay with that?” Derek asked, staring at the other vehicle.

            Stiles glanced over at it, at his friends, and shook his head. “I’m not okay. But I will be. It’s time I took a break. That jeep needs help.”

            Derek stared at him for a minute, and Stiles felt like he was staring into his soul. It was obvious Derek knew he wasn’t talking about just a car anymore.

            “With time,” Derek approached, selecting his words carefully, “it will work out. Time and effort.”

            Stiles nodded, averting his gaze to the front windshield where the dust trails of the two vans were leaving them behind. “So, where we headed?”

            “Thought I might spend some time with Cora. You up for that?”

            Stiles patted his back pocket, made sure he still had a hold on his passport, and nodded when he felt he did. “That sounds like a great start.”

            Derek reached over and squeezed Stiles’ free hand and held it for a few seconds. He said nothing, and when he released it, Stiles felt like his cheeks were on fire.

            His other hand was tightly gripping his phone, and he stared down at his dad’s contact. Derek caught his gaze, nodded once, sharply, and put the car into drive.

            Stiles pressed the ‘call’ button.

            “Hey. I’m. I’m okay. Better than okay, actually. Scott and them will be back soon. I just. I’ve decided to start my summer vacation a little early. Don’t worry about me. I’ll keep in touch. Sorry about the roaming costs, uh—” Derek snorted and Stiles shoved at his shoulder. “I’ll have _Derek_ ,” he hissed the name, “pay you back later since he’s choosing the destination.

            “We’ll be safe. I promise. I love you. Talk to you soon.”

            “That was the worst voicemail ever,” Derek commented once Stiles hung up.

            Stiles shoved him again, and Derek barely flinched. Stiles curled up in his seat, clutching his phone against his chest. “Wake me when you wanna swap, okay?”

            Derek patted his head, and the soothing motion lulled Stiles even deeper into sleep. He hadn’t realized how exhausted he was. “Get some rest,” Derek commanded in a soft voice, and Stiles did just that.

            He had no nightmares.

**Author's Note:**

> There's more of this insanity on my tumblr at redhoodedwolf


End file.
